Trendspotting with Darice

As a maker, it helps to stay on top of craft industry trends. Creating products that will have mass appeal helps boost sales. There are several ways to find out about trends before they happen.

Image Via Andrew Ridley/Unsplash

Here are some of our favorite sources that help us become the first to spot what’s hot. It’s important to not only keep up to date on craft industry trends but also what’s trending in design, pop culture and media.

Creativation

Creativation (previously known as CHA) is the craft trade industry’s annual show. Recently held in Phoenix, Arizona, the trade show brings many of the major craft industry brands under one roof. New products are presented in the various booths, often with hands on opportunities to experience the products. Even if you do not attend the show you can preview of all the 2018 new products by watching videos and looking at photos from the event.

Image via Pinterest

Pinterest

If anyone has real time data on what’s trending, it may very well be Pinterest. The site looks at what people are searching for and saving the most to determine what is popular at the moment. In December, the Pinterest Blog compiles a list of predictions for the next year. You can check out the Pinterest 100: The tops trends to try in 2018 to see what is predicted to be big in several categories ranging from food to fashion to DIY. You can also check on the Pinterest Popular Category to see what is trending day to day.

Etsy Trend Report

Etsy is another great source for information about what is hot this very moment. The Trending Now page shows you which products in the Etsy marketplace are trending today. You can break the list down by category to zero in on your niche. The Etsy blog also compiles a trend list, and they have already published their Top Etsy Trend Predictions for 2018. Keep checking back for new Trend Guides every few months.

Image via Rita Morais/Unsplash

Google Trends

Google Trends allows you to look at trends by year, location, and other criteria you can set. The list of 2017 trends is up, and you can also check out the hot trends each day to see what people are looking up. While not necessarily specific to crafting, knowing which celebrities, movies, or TV shows are hot can help makers create products that will resonate with what is culturally popular at the moment.

FaveCrafts

FaveCrafts is a site that compiles the best tutorials and project ideas from around the web, and you can see which projects are the most popular in each category on their website under the “What’s Hot” heading. They’ve made their own predictions for this year in their list of 7 Craft Trends for 2018.

YouTube Trending

Video is huge right now, and YouTube offers insight into what is most watched, helping us see what is popular at the moment. Check out the Trending Page to see which videos are popular. There are also several YouTubers who share lists of trends in their videos. Justine Leconte is a fashion designer who posts, among other things, seasonal lists of clothing and hair styles that are trending right now.

Image via Benjamin Moore

Color Trends

Most creatives have heard of the Pantone color of the year, a much anticipated and talked about announcement. Multiple other paint companies also provide forecasts as well as trend reports on their sites, letting you know which colors are top sellers and which colors they think will be trending. Some of the paint companies with trend reports are Benjamin Moore, Behr, and Sherwin Williams.

Image via Stitchcraft

Professional Associations

Craft Industry Alliance is a member’s access only group. A bi-weekly journal, webinars, and other resources help members stay on top of craft industry trends.

Trend Bible is a professional consulting firm that helps design teams forecast trends. Their website offers non members access to timely articles and free downloads with trend predictions.

Ahalogy has a free list of what’s trending on their site (though it’s not always up to date), and members get access to their Ahology Muse software which gives detailed trend insights.

Stitchcraft Marketing offers a list of trends for 2018 that you can access, even if you are not a client.

What are your favorite sources for finding out craft industry trends? Let us know in the comments.

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Darice was founded in 1954, by Pat Catan, an entrepreneur from humble beginnings who valued hard work and dedication. Today, Darice Inc. is a premier manufacturer and wholesale distributor in the craft industry.